Blog 143 Tuesday 25th December 2012

Taken from last years blog, sorry, Ive been a bit lazy with the blog lately. I am however, optimistic that 2013 will be a great year. Happy New Year to all ..........................

Please pass on the message to all your network of family and friends as a new years resolution to checkout the Bowel Cancer UK website

http://www.bowelcanceruk.org.uk/understanding-bowel-cancer/

A good article in the "Mail on Sunday" review newspaper this week, entitled "The Chemo-Proof Christmas Dinner" by Jim Fisher. Jim is a former MasterChef semi finalist and highlights the problems of eating for cancer patients........... for thousands of of us cancer patients, suffering the effects of chemotherapy, the thoughts of the Christmas Dinner, Christmas pud, mince pies and other "Goodies" can be quite daunting, Lifesaving chemotherapy can trigger debilitating severe side effects such as nausea, reflux, and mouth ulcers, also oral mucosities which causes an inflammation of the inside of the mouth making eating very painful. Chemotherapy drugs also wreck taste buds, all this occurs due to the strain placed on the immune system during Chemotherapy. Jim Fisher's late mother, Sylvia, suffered a rare form of cancer and Jim realised, as a chef, he could do something about some of the side effects suffered by his mother.

In my case, I had regularly suffered  the pain associated with reflux, and often feel quite nausea's, I had  mouth ulcers and found it difficult sometimes to swallow cold drinks, due to a feeling that my throat was inflamed. Food often tastes metallic to me and I had lost my appetite for the hot curry's I used to soooooo enjoy. Thoughts of weight loss were replaced with my weight steadily increasing to the heaviest I have ever been, I believe due to the steroids that I am prescribed.

Jim Fisher now runs a cooking school in France, and has researched foods for their comforting and healing properties. Jim says " Food is more than about having something to eat. It takes you through the bad times. Going through chemo is rotten enough as it is, but it's often especially bad at Christmas.

Jim Fisher has created a festive menu for those especially having chemotherapy " I hope these recipes make it a merrier Christmas for those battling cancer" says Jim.................. www.mailonline.co.uk/chemorecipes

Blog 142 Friday 7th December 2012

 A letter recently arrived from our daughters school. At first I thought it a "normal" school communication. The letter informed us that  the school council has planned a cake sale for today Friday 7th December. Our  daughter `Hope' 10yrs, enjoys making cakes to sell at school for these events, so I read on, the cakes would be sold for 20p each. The money raised would be divided between two charities Macmillan Nurses and Wish Upon a Star  

Why these two charities ? .........both  were involved with Ronaldas Janovic 9 years, who died of cancer in October. Ronaldas was a pupil in our daughters school. Hope made her cakes last night taking a lot of pride in what she was doing and carefully carried them to school this morning................

Macmillan Nurses, for many people affected by cancer, are a valued and trusted source of expert information, advice and support - free of charge. As of December 2011, there were 3,707 Macmillan nurse posts across the UK, both in hospitals and in the community.

Wish Upon a Star aim is to simply make magical memories for a Wish child and their family to remember for a lifetime. By granting a Wish, this enables the family to have a truly amazing time forgetting about hospital routines, doctor's appointments and the gruelling treatments that have become a daily occurrence and allowing the whole family to smile, laugh and enjoy life!

 

Unfortunately you will not get to try one of these scrumptious cakes (nor did I) but you can donate to the charities by clicking on the links above